Health Services Research Group

The Health Services Research Group (HSRG) is made up of NIU students and faculty interested in applied health services research. The HSRG is coordinated by Dr. Jim Ciesla, from the Public Health and Health Education Programs in the School of Nursing and Health Studies. The mission of the HSRG is to be an active forum for collaboration on health services research projects.

Health services research (HSR) is the multidisciplinary field of scientific investigation that studies how social and economic factors, financing systems, organizational structures and processes, medical technology, and personal behaviors affect access to health care, the quality and cost of health care, and qualitity and length of life.

Activities of the HSRG include: designing and conducting HSR projects, presenting and publishing findings (with emphasis placed on student/faculty collaboration and publication). Current research underway in the HSRG involves substance abuse treatment outcomes and the outcomes of treatment services for disadvantaged populations. Other related research topics may be pursued by members of the HSRG.

Dr. Ciesla currently has a limited amount of research funding, and some members of the HSRG are paid research assistants, but it will be a priority of the HSRG to pursue financial support for as many of its activities as possible.

Membership

The HSRG is made up of NIU students with a variety of interests including:

Graduate and Undergraduate students interested in HSR.
Students interested in pursuing HRS-focused independent studies for academic credit.
Students interested in pursuing funding from the NIU Undergraduate Special Opportunities in Artistry and Research (USOAR) Program for a HSR-related project.
Students interested in pursuing HSR-related Honors projects.
MPH students interested in writing a HSR-related Thesis.
Anyone else interested in conducting and publishing HSR.